Automatic ratchet



C. R. PIEPER.

AUTOMATIC RATCHET. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 28, 1918.

Patented J an. 20, 1920.

Invenfor Chesfr R. Pieper by CHESTER It. PIEPER, OF LA CPUOSSE, "vl/ISGONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO TEE GUND I IANUFAC- TUBING- COIEPANZ, 515 LA CROSSE. WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION QF VJISCONSIN.

AUTOMATIC RATCHET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 20, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Cnnsrnn R. Pinrnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of La Crosse, in the county of La Crosse and State of i Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Fatchets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an automatic ratchet for positively looking a one-way pulley, and is particularly adapted to he used in the upper pulley of a lamp adjuster such as the one disclosed in my Patent 1,233,601, dated July 17, 1917, and entitled Pulley mechanism.

One object of my invention is to provide, in an automatic ratchet, simplified means for allowing a pulley to be turned in one di rection, but that will lock the pulley if turned slowly in the opposite direction, while, at the same time, the pulley may be turned in the last named direction if it is turned quickly.

Another object of my invention is to provide, in a device of the class described, a cooperating cone-shaped surface and a locking ratchet associated therewith, and provide means for causing the engagement of the latch and cone-shaped surface under certain conditions. I

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combination of parts, the essential elements of which are hereinafter described with reference to the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this specification.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved automatic ratchet with parts broken away to better show the construction. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device as applied to a well known type of lamp adjuster.

As shown in Fig. 1, a U-shaped support 1 has rotatably mounted therein a pulley 2, the pulley being formed with a spherical or cone-shaped portion 8 having a series of apertures i therein.

Hinged to one side of the support 1 on a rivet 5 is a latch 6, the nose 7 of which is slightly rounded so as to ride freely on the surface 3.

As the tongue is freely hinged on the rivet 5 it is evident that the pulley 2 may be r0- tated in an anti-clockwise direction without any interference from the latch 6. However, if the pulley 1s turned in a clockwise direction slowly, the nose 7 of the latch 6 will drop into one of the apertures and stop further rotation of the pulley 2.

If, however, the pulley 2 is turned quickly in a clockwise direction, beginning at a point where the nose 7 is riding On the surface 3, the apertures 4- will pass under the nose 7 without there being sufficient time for the nose to engage with the aperture.

Looking at Fig. 3, which disclosesthe adjuster described in the patent aforesaid and which will hence not be generally described herein, it will be seen that if the counterweighted pulley 8 is if such weight as to nicely balance a bare lamp and socket 9, in such case the addition of a lamp shade 10 would somewhat destroy the balance and the tendency would be for the lamp and shade to move downwardly, lifting the weighted pulley 8.

W'th my improved construction it is evident that in such event the tongue 6 will drop into one of the apertures 4, thus stopping the clockwise rotation of the pulley 2, and the friction between the surface of the pulley 2 and the cord 11 will be sufficient to prevent the downward movement of the combined lamp and shade.

However, if it is desired to lower the lamp, it is only necessary to slightly raise the lamp and shade and pull it down sharply, in which case the nose 7 of the latch will not engage with the apertures 4:.

When the lamp has been lowered the de sired amount, however, the action of the latch heretofore described will prevent any appreciable further lowering of the lamp and shade, due to its own weight.

While I have described my invention and illustrated it in one particular design, I do not wish it understood that I limit myself to this construction, as it is evident that the ap' plication of the invention may be varied in many ways within the scope of the follow ing claims.

Claims:

1. In an automatic ratchet for lamp cords and the like, the combination with a free running lamp cord having a lamp suspended at one end thereof, and a counter-weight in a loop thereof, of a pulley positioned intermediate of said loop and said lamp, said pulley comprising in combination a support, a pulley wheel having a surface normally positioned in an angle to the vertical, and having an aperture in said surface, means carried by said pulley wheel support for allowing the rotation of said pulley wheel in one direction and to prevent the slow rotation of said pulley wheel in the opposite direction, but allowing the quick rotation of said pulley wheel in said last named directlon.

2. In an automatic ratchet for lamp cords and the like the combination with a lamp cord fastened at one end and having a loop formed therein and carrylng in said loop a counterwelght, and a lamp CZLI'IlGd at the free end of said cord, of a pulley comprising in combination a pulley wheel support, having supporting means thereon, a pulley wheel normally disposed in a vertical plane journaled in said support, said cord between said lamp and said counter-weight running on said pulley wheel, said pulley wheel having a surface thereon, always disposed in an angle to the vertical plane of the pulley wheel, said surface having an aperture therein, a latch hinged to said support and adapted to ride on said angularly positioned surface of said pulley wheel and across said aperture when said pulley wheel is rotated.

CHESTER R. PIEPER. 

